Strategic rest, renewal and restoration.

The traditional corporate “hero” is no stranger to stress.

Overloading with work, taking on more than one person can handle, coming in early and staying late, all while ignoring your personal needs in favor for what is best for the company—these are the characteristics of the traditional corporate hero, a person who exists in the minds and imaginations of workers around the world.

Yet, all of the resulting stress and hours spent working to become this type of hero leads to disengagement and ineffective performance at work, as well as poor levels of health and well-being.

How can the conventional corporate “hero” archetype be rewritten in order to encourage healthy behaviors and well-being when employees—either consciously or subconsciously—still believe that the traditional archetype is what is required for career success?

Energy is the capacity people have to do work.

Like time, energy is finite. However, unlike time, energy is renewable.

Strategic renewal, including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, more time away from the office and longer, more frequent vacations is shown to boost productivity, job performance and health.*

We asked our Habits at Work team members how they achieved rest, renewal and restoration over Labor Day weekend...

Debbi Brooks, Product

Date night with Mr. Brooks...Dinner with my daughter and her boyfriend...Finished a paper on the causes of multitasking (research is very relaxing for me)...Walked and rough housed with our dog Addie...Heard 7+ teenagers laugh and have a good time in my living room...Intentionally ignored work emails until Tuesday morning...Completed my weekly planning the morning of the first workday rather than on Sunday...

Amanda Beemer, Brand + Culture

Made time for people I care about; enjoyed their company without watching the clock...

Donna Sumner, Partnerships + Licensing

Watched South Paw with my husband and daughter on a 13" computer screen (will never do that again)...Spent Saturday with my sister who is getting married this month...Enjoyed a day with my family on the lake...

Thomas Bookman, Business Development

Had one-on-one days with my daughter Quincey...Road tripped to Spokane, WA where I am from...Spent time with family and friends...Had intimate discussions with a three year old about her future life plans...

Andrew Sykes, President + Chief Habit Starter

Enjoyed our first night out with my wife since our twin girls were born...Spent lots of quality park time with my son, Lex...

Jim Holtzman, Operations

Went to Milwaukee after a fairly short 11.5 mile run followed by a massage...Took my wife to the movies...Fixed some things that were long overdue around the house...

Sharlene Krantz, Consulting

Donated to the community food bank after hearing a great sermon about showing love to others...Finished boring household chores and yard work...

Caryn Tomasiewicz, Operations

Watched a lot of Antiques Roadshow UK...Became obsessed with home updates and spent 2 hours scouring Etsy for 1920s-30s flush mount ceiling lighting fixtures (Bought two. Very, VERY excited)...Painted the inside of the closet in Colin’s room and stained the wood trim...Took 2 private Pilates lessons...Watched a bunch of wonderfully random movies on Turner Movie Channel...Went for a long walk along the lakefront...

Carolyn Bilson, Partnerships + Consulting

Practiced being in the present moment with family, friends and my dog, Roscoe...

Kathy Vance, Partnerships + Business Development

Hiked in the woods...Basked in the sun...Worked on my flower beds...Enjoyed our 107 acres in West Virginia with the love of my life...